ben
on 29th June 2010 |
6 comments
|
The Atlas Mountains are simply a mecca for trekkers, offering year-round trekking, dramatic scenery, crowd free trails and of course an insight into the intriguing Berber cultures in the countless delightful villages in the valleys. To cap it off, guides and mules (for porting luggage) are reasonably priced for the budget traveller.
This is a travel guide to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The following links might also be helpful:
Our full Trekking in Morocco collection. Includes all the treks we offer (all bookable online) in Morocco and links to detailed tips and advice.
Our advice on winter trekking in the Atlas Mountains.
Our full collection of itineraries and holidays in Morocco. Includes treks, desert tours and coast packages.
Trekking in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
The Toubkal National Park in the High Atlas is only a couple of hours drive from Marrakech and offers more than a dozen peaks above 3,800m. Toubkal at over 4000m in altitude is the highest peak in North Africa and attracts a fair share of trekkers eager to bag a high altitude peak. The trailhead of Imlil is set in the valley below Toubkal and serves as the setting off point for countless treks of varying lengths, from a couple of days in the valleys, to climbing Toubkal itself or a week combining the two. (Read our guide to climbing Toubkal here). There are too many valleys and passes to mention, but the passes at Tizi n'Tamaterte and Tizi n Tadat are equally spectacular, whilst of the valleys, it is hard to beat the traditional red-earth berber villages and verdant walnut groves of the Azzaden Valley.
3 Day Short Valley treks in the Atlas Mountains
Three day guided Atlas Mountains Valleys treks suitable for beginner trekkers or trekking in the winter below the snow line. These treks are available year-round.
3 Day Toubkal Ascent
Circular 3 Day / 2 Night trek including the Azzaden Valley and ascent of Toubkal.
3 Day Imlil to Setti Fadma traverse via the Ourika Valley
A stunning traverse from Imlil to the Ourika Valley and the waterfalls at Setti Fadma. This route is suitable for winter treks without any technical expertise required.
4-5 Day Berber Villages and Toubkal trek
Explore the Atlas Mountains around Marrakech and hike up Mount Toubkal on this five-day trek. The route takes you through the Azzaden Valley and a number of traditional Berber Villages en route to Toubkal. Also available as a 4 day trek.
6 Day Toubkal Circuit
This is the route for trekking enthusiasts. This trek takes you in a broad sweep around Toubkal and culminates in the ascent of Toubkal. Highlights include camping out in the mountains away from the crowds, Lake Ifni and countless high altitude passes.
Alternatives to Toubkal - The Mgoun Massif
Mgoun is the off the beaten path alternative to the more popular Toubkal region. Mgoun itself is just 100 metres short of Toubkal's peak and is considered a more challenging trek and arguably one of the best in Morocco. The M'goun Massif is more isolated and harder to get to than Toubkal and surrounds - so expect less trekkers and a rich insight into the traditional mountain communities. The scenery is more varied too, featuring breathtaking windswept high rounded peaks, remote villages, deep gorges, lush valleys and dusty red kasbahs. Treks in the M'goun Massig tend to be longer with the shortest trails starting at 6 days.
Alternatives to trekking in the Atlas Mountains - Dades Valley, Todra Gorge, Erg Chebbi and Sarhro
The Atlas Mountains border the majestic Sahara to the East, and a visit to the evocative desert landscape is a must. There is still plenty of scope for trekking but expect a good deal of touring by 4wd and camel too. The Dades Valley sits between the High Atlas and the Sarhro range and is often called the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs (after the countless Kasbahs scattered through the valley) and the Valley of Roses (after the local agricultural crop). As you approach the upper reaches of the valley it closes into dramatic gorges, featuring the spectacular canyons of the Dades Gorge and the near-bye Todra Gorge at times just 10m wide and 160m high. The area is somewhat reminiscent of the Wild West in the States and is dominated by unusual rock formations. Erg Chebbi lies where the desert meets the Atlas Mountains - a huge windblown sand dune 22km long, 5m wide and in places 150m high. It offers an accessible and quintessential Saharan experience, trekking by camel and sleeping under the stars at night.
3 Day trip to the Erg Chebbi from Marakech from £300pp
A whistle-stop tour out to the Sahara from Marrakech in a private 4wd. There is just about enough time for quick stops in Ait Benhaddou and the Dades and Todra Gorges along the way.
7 Day Atlas Mountain and Desert Tour from £720pp
The ultimate itinerary for those wanting to discover the desert beyond the Atlas Mountains. With stunning treks in the Dades Valley, Todra Gorge, Tinejdad Valley and of course Erg Chebbi
When is the best time of year to walk in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco?
The Atlas Mountains are a year round destination and there is always somewhere in the range experiencing optimal weather conditions. Marrakesh is arguably best in winter, spring and autumn, temperatures tend to hover around the 20C mark making for very comfortable conditions, whilst summer can see temperatures reaching 40C (still by no means inhospitable). Jbel Toubkal is probably best in spring (Feb to May) when the snow is still on the mountains (covering the loose scree) and the temperatures are a little warmer than in the depths of winter. However, June through to October is still perfectly manageable at altitude. In the winter months the high passes and peaks are thick with snow cover and experienced winter mountain guides and equipment (crampons and ice axes) are highly recommended. The desert regions of the Atlas Sahara are probably best in spring and Autumn, but again are suitable year round. Temperatures can get hot in summer (highs can exceed 40C) but the heat is dry and manageable if you pace yourself. In the winter, night time temperatures can be sub zero so a very good quality sleeping bag is a must.
How to get to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco
The Atlas Mountains are only a 90 minute (65km) drive from Marrakesh, which has an international airport (served by low cost airline Easyjet amongst others), and is of course a fantastic destination in its own right. Most Atlas treks include pick up and drop off in Marrakesh within the price.
Flying from the UK.... Marrakech has an international airport (RAK) which is serviced by several airlines flying direct from the UK. The airport is about six kilometres outside the city centre and buses run regularly, or you can take a taxi into the centre.
- From the South East: The majority of direct flights to Marrakech leave from Gatwick. Easy jet & Royal Maroc have daily departures and Thomson fly several times per week. Ryanair fly several times a week from Luton.
- From the North West: Easy jet and Thomson both have departures from Manchester, with several departures per week.
- From the South West: Ryanair both has several departures each week from Bristol.
- From Scotland: Ryanair fly direct from Edinburgh airport several times per week.
From within Morocco.... If you are planning on visiting Fes before or after your trip, there is an excellent train service linking the two cities. Your tour guide can help you buy tickets at the station.
If you are planning to visit Essaouira, there are regular buses between the two cities - it takes about three hours and costs around £10
How much does trekking in the Atlas Mountains cost?
The price will depend on where you book. The cheapest prices will be found by meeting up with other travellers, using local transport and arranging services in Morocco. Expect to pay more if you book a package through a UK tour operator. You can book treks through Tourdust directly with a fantastic local Moroccan guide (at local prices) and expect to pay roughly 60 -100 Euros per person per day for guides, mules, food and accommodation depending on the trip and accommodation used. Most departures are privately arranged for groups of two upwards, but where available, single travellers can join onto existing groups and benefit from discounted group rates.
Choosing a local operator for High Atlas Treks
The number of outfits offering Atlas Treks can be a little bewildering. Registered guides have completed a 6 month mountain guiding course in Tabant (operated currently by the ministry of tourism and interior), but there are also many un-registered guides operating in the area. All of Tourdust's Atlas Mountain treks are operated by a professional and competent local team lead by Mohamed Aztat. Mohamed has 13 years of experience working in the Atlas Mountains and is a graduate of the Mountain Guides School in Tabant, The Royal Moroccan Federation of Skiing and Mountaineering and is an accredited wild country assessor for expeditions in Morocco. Mohamed has been variously described as "the best guide with whom I have walked" by Conde Nast, "One of the top guides in the Atlas Mountains" by BBC Radio 2, and "one of the star guides of the Atlas" by the Lonely Planet.
Winter trekking in the Atlas Mountains
There is frequently snow on the high passes and peaks in the High Atlas Mountains from November through to the end of March. On all treks which include climbing Toubkal during these months there is a strong chance you will need to use crampons and ice axes. It is imperative that you have suitable prior experience of using crampons and ice axes before attempting such a trek. Crampons & ice axes can be hired locally in Imlil. All qualified guides will have completed a six month training school in Tabant with the Royal Moroccan Federation of skiing and mountaineering. This training is a pre-requisite qualification for any Mountain or desert guide in Morocco and qualifies the holder to lead treks anywhere in Morocco. The qualification is the equivalent to the British Mountain Leader summer scheme and whilst it does include a qualification for rope work and some training in snow techniques, it is not equivalent to the British Winter Mountain Leader qualification or the International Moutain Leader qualification. Given mountain rescue in Morocco is not exactly fast, then the less experienced might want to think about a lower level valley trek during the winter months!
Accommodation in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Accommodation in the Atlas Mountains tends to be in in simple Berber Gites, mountain refuges or camping depending on the season and location. Gites typically offer shared bathroom facilities (with hot showers) and simple private rooms. Whilst basic, gites are usually owned by villagers and have terraces with wonderful views. Refuges are typical of mountain refuges worldwide, offering very basic accommodation for trekkers. Bunk-rooms sleeping 10-20 people are the order of the day, most do offer hot showers. Camping is usually in modern tents with a communal mess tent.
What is availability like?
Availability doesn't tend to be a problem in the Atlas Mountains. If you are travelling alone, then it is worth being flexible on dates so you can join another group - otherwise prices can get a little high.
What kind of kit and experience is required for Atlas Mountains trekking?
You don't really need any specialist equipment (assuming you aren't attempting Toubkal in winter) so it is a case of the usual, good trekking footwear, waterproofs and a good first aid kit. You can bring your own sleeping bag or hire one out there. As for experience, a determined attitude and a reasonable level of fitness suffices.
Other useful resources
- An amusing account of trying to climb Toubkal independently. Don't let this put you off…
- A 360 Degree View from the Summit of Toubkal
- A photoset of Atlas Mountains
- Trekking in Morocco
- Adventure holidays in Morocco
- Photo featured above is of the M'goun Massif by Flickr user Ryan Kilpatrick
- A detailed weather forecast for Toubkal and at varying elevations in the Atlas Mountains can be found at mountain-forecast.com
Comments (6)
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Can you also arrange a visit to Erg Chigaga?
Neil Beverley 4th October 2010
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We can arrange visits to Erg Chigaga and even lengthy expeditions in the desert from Erg Chigaga. For thsoe short on time we usually recommend Erg Chebbi.
ben
23rd December 2010
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Having looked at you website, I ( and 3 friends ) am interested in the above 8 day trek starting on Sat 26th May. We have experience of crampon/ice-axe use if such is needed. Please advise re price etc.
Thanking you.Breda Duggan 16th January 2012
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I am interested in doing a 5 day trip in the high Atlas and a 3 day trip in the dessert in mid late April. Can you please send me some information and cost for this.
Thanks, Collin VarnerCollin Varner 25th January 2012
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Sanjib Adikhari ist recomended 2011 by German trekkers Sabine and
Frank from BerlinSanjib Adhikari 2 x 250The ultimate compliment for Sanjib came from
fellow trekkers we met along the way who remarked how lucky we were to
have a guide so personable, knowledgeable and dedicated to us and our
experience. We could not have agreed with them more. *We did a 21 day
Annapurna circuit, Annapurna base camp trek and Langtang Valley trek
and having never trekked this length before, we were both novices. It
is without a doubt, that had our guide been anyone other than Sanjib,
we would not have had nearly the rich, authentic and thoroughly
enjoyable experience we did. When trekking
with Sanjib we enjoyed:
* honest, knowledgeable and sincere discussions regarding anything
from Nepal's history and current politics, local religions and culture
history, to geography natural landscape and all Mountains Name
* a sensitivity and sensibility to allow a good balance between
conversation and respecting an individual or couple’s need for privacy
* over 9 years of trekking guide experience
* a respect for an individual’s desired pace and physical condition
* an intimate knowledge of the best accommodations, tea stops and
places of interest along the way, according to our own individual
budget
We would highly recommend any potential trekker in Nepal to enlist the
services of Sanjib Adhikari. It is without a doubt that you will be
richly rewarded if you do so Trek in Nepal his contact address is:
sanjib-adhikari@hotmail.com and his website : www.nepalguideinfo.com
www.nepaltreckingguide.jimdo.comTrekking Guide Recommended In Nepal 26th January 2012
-
Sanjib Adikhari ist recomended 2011 by German trekkers Sabine and
Frank from BerlinSanjib Adhikari 2 x 250The ultimate compliment for Sanjib came from
fellow trekkers we met along the way who remarked how lucky we were to
have a guide so personable, knowledgeable and dedicated to us and our
experience. We could not have agreed with them more. *We did a 21 day
Annapurna circuit, Annapurna base camp trek and Langtang Valley trek
and having never trekked this length before, we were both novices. It
is without a doubt, that had our guide been anyone other than Sanjib,
we would not have had nearly the rich, authentic and thoroughly
enjoyable experience we did. When trekking
with Sanjib we enjoyed:
* honest, knowledgeable and sincere discussions regarding anything
from Nepal's history and current politics, local religions and culture
history, to geography natural landscape and all Mountains Name
* a sensitivity and sensibility to allow a good balance between
conversation and respecting an individual or couple’s need for privacy
* over 9 years of trekking guide experience
* a respect for an individual’s desired pace and physical condition
* an intimate knowledge of the best accommodations, tea stops and
places of interest along the way, according to our own individual
budget
We would highly recommend any potential trekker in Nepal to enlist the
services of Sanjib Adhikari. It is without a doubt that you will be
richly rewarded if you do so Trek in Nepal his contact address is:
sanjib-adhikari@hotmail.com and his website : www.nepalguideinfo.com
www.nepaltreckingguide.jimdo.com
www.hikehimalayas.comTrekking Guide Recommended In Nepal 26th January 2012
